Sounds like a combination of not being the most popular subject,like a fighter...large scale...and people expecting to get it for pennies on the dollar. I have a hundred or so car models from my brief (8 year!) diversion from plane models that I can't sell,so good luck.
I've had car models that I literally could not GIVE AWAY! I've done it as an experiment at several swap meets ... put a kit out with "Free To Good Home" on it ... several times, I've brought the kit home. No, they weren't junkers, they were complete and untouched, and they still live with me. It's OK though, my little boy will build them.
I know this actual case applies to the UK but something similar might be happening in the US.
If I go to one of the UK major plastic model stockists (Hannents) and buy a Revell Storch I find that it is discontinued, they have stock and they want £22.99 ($41).
But in my town there is a model/toy shop that often gets hold of large stocks of discontinued kits and sells them cheaply - in this case they have stacks of Revell Storchs at £9.99 ($18) - less than half price.
Someone trying to sell a Storch at £12 ($22) may think they are selling cheap but will be surprised to find he has no takers.
Yes, I've scored several great deals at Big Lots and other such stores. Actually found the 1/35 scale AMT M60A1 Blazer for as little as $2.99 at a closeout store (Odd Lots). Same kit in an Italeri box runs in the $20+ range.
At a garage sale, a few years ago, I picked up a kit of a Lockheed "Electra", by Revell. It appears to be "box scale", in American Airlines markings. I think I paid 50 cents. A good buy?
When the local Lionel "Kiddie City" when belly up they were selling ESCI (AMT) T-55s for $3 a crack at the end. With the advent of the Tamiya one now you can't give one away.
Which makes me wonder -- WHY on earth did Italeri re-release that kit under their name???!?
Oh, that' s an antiquated kit of a horrible aircraft. They sure saw you coming. I'll give you a quarter for it. 8^)
Are you sure you didn't do that at gunpoint? 8^)
Big Lots, Dollar Stores, Hobby Lobby etc. are great for finding deals but they're sporadic. When I find out that they've got models on the shelves I send out a crapalert and try to cover every store in the tri city area knowing full well that what's in the stores closest to me is different in the other stores.
Couldn't get rid of a Heller Yak 3 in a "collectible box" for several months and I think I took a loss on it at $1.99. If you list something three times and you can't move it it's time to drop the price and take a loss; something I don't relish, mustard, or ketchup doing. Cheers,
Can you toss it into the inventory for the next club raffle or auction?
If none of the above, strip it for parts and toss the residue, because it's probably a badly-executeed kit of something obscure (gee, w e're back to Merlin!)
I've had a few on E-bay that I just can't get rid of. I'd always thought F-16s were popular but I guess I had the wrong kits. I finally sold them as a package deal with a sheet of Microscale decals. I don't think I got what I paid for them but they're leaving soon.
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